Leaburg, Oregon

Leaburg is an unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon, United States located on the McKenzie River and Oregon Route 126 east of Walterville and west of Vida.

The first post office in this locale was established in 1877 and named "Leaburgh", for first postmaster Leander Cruzan.cite book |last= McArthur |first= Lewis A. |authorlink= Lewis A. McArthur |coauthors= Lewis L. McArthur |title= Oregon Geographic Names |origyear= 1928 |edition= Seventh Edition |year= 2003 |publisher= Oregon Historical Society Press |location= Portland, Oregon |id= ISBN 0-87595-277-1 |pages= 568 ] At some point the spelling was changed to "Leaburg". On May 25 1907, the office was moved two miles west and the name was changed to "Deerhorn"; Deerhorn post office closed in 1913. A new Leaburg office was established on September 20 1907.

Hydropower project and hatchery

The city of Eugene's water utility, Eugene Water and Electric Board (EWEB), runs Leaburg Power Plant on the river one mile west of Leaburg.cite book |title= Style & Vernacular: A Guide to the Architecture of Lane County, Oregon |publisher= Western Imprints, The Press of the Oregon Historical Society |date= 1983 |page= 122 |id= ISBN 0-87595-085-X] This is one of three EWEB hydropower projects on the river. Leaburg Dam, built in 1929 about three miles east of the community, impounds and diverts the McKenzie into the Leaburg Canal; the impoundment forms the 40-acre Leaburg Reservoir. [cite web |url= http://www.eweb.org/about/community/recreation.htm |title= Recreational opportunities |publisher= Eugene Water & Electric Board |accessdate= 2008-04-26] The canal holds the water at a higher elevation than the natural level of the river for about five miles—this allows the water to turn the power plant's turbines and generators. [cite web |url= http://cartt.4j.lane.edu/ttr/mckenzie/ld.html |title= Exploring the McKenzie Watershed: Leaburg Dam |publisher= Eugene School District |accessdate= 2008-04-26] Leaburg Power Plant was designed in 1929 by noted Oregon architect Ellis F. Lawrence in the Art Deco style and includes motifs from Greek mythology sculpted by Harry Poole Camden. EWEB's Lloyd Knox Water Board Park is on the south shore of the reservoir, while the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) runs the Leaburg Hatchery, a rainbow trout and steelhead fish hatchery, nearby. [cite web |url= http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/visitors/leaburg_hatchery.asp |title= The ODFW Visitors' Guide: Northwest Region: Leaburg Hatchery |publisher= Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife |accessdate= 2008-04-26]

Other hatcheries

The ODFW also runs the McKenzie Salmon Hatchery about two miles east of Leaburg on the north bank of the river. This hatchery was built in 1938 and rebuilt in 1975. [cite web |url= http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/visitors/mckenzie_hatchery.asp |title= The ODFW Visitors' Guide: Northwest Region: McKenzie Hatchery |publisher= Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife |accessdate= 2008-04-26]

On the north bank of the river, about four miles east of Leaburg, is the Old McKenzie Fish Hatchery, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. [cite web |url= http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/960301.htm |title= Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 2/19/96 Through 2/23/96 |publisher= National Park Service |accessdate= 2008-04-06] The hatchery raised trout and salmon from 1907 until the 1950s.cite web |url= http://mckenzie.orenews.com/visitorguide/leavida.html |title= Leaburg to Vida |publisher= "McKenzie River Reflections" |accessdate=2008-04-26] [cite web |url= http://members.aol.com/mcrvcofc/chamber.htm |title= McKenzie River Chamber of Commerce |accessdate= 2008-04-26] Many original structures are on the property, including the main house, which was built in the early 1900s for the hatchery superintendent. The site is under the jurisdiction of the Lane County Parks Department, and the McKenzie River Chamber of Commerce and Tourist Information Center is located there.

References

External links

* [http://geography.uoregon.edu/infographics/lcweb/leaburgdam.htm Leaburg Dam image] from the Atlas of Lane County produced by the University of Oregon Geography Department
* [http://photos.salemhistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/orarc&CISOPTR=484&REC=1 Aerial view of Leaburg Hatchery] from Salem Public Library